State Budget Gaps: How Does Your State Rank?

For the fourth year in a row, most states are facing substantial budget deficits. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the budget gaps total $112 billion for fiscal year 2012, which starts July 1 in most states. Only six states do not project having a shortfall to contend with.

The situation has governors and state legislatures struggling, yet again, to balance their budgets. Texas is currently debating $10 billion in education-related cuts. California, meanwhile, is planning to extend tax increases implemented under former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but only if voters approve. Other states are relying on budgetary sleight of hand to alleviate their troubles. For example, in Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear has sought support for a plan to move Medicaid funds pegged for next year to the current year.

State

Projected FY 2012 deficit (in millions)

Deficit as percent of 2011 spending

Rank by percent

Nevada

$1,500

45.20

1

New Jersey

$10,500

37.40

2

Texas

$13,400

31.50

3

California

$25,400

29.30

4

Oregon

$1,800

25.00

5

Minnesota

$3,800

23.60

6

Louisiana

$1,600

20.70

7

New York

$10,000

18.70

8

Connecticut

$3,200

18.00

9

South Carolina

$877

17.40

10

Pennsylvania

$4,200

16.40

11

Vermont

$176

16.30

12

Washington

$2,500

16.20

13

Maine

$436

16.10

14

Florida

$3,600

14.90

15

Illinois

$4,900

14.60

16

Mississippi

$634

14.10

17

Alabama

$979

13.90

18

Colorado

$988

13.80

19

Virginia

$2,000

13.10

20

Wisconsin

$1,800

12.80

21

North Carolina

$2,400

12.70

22

Arizona

$974

11.50

23

Rhode Island

$331

11.30

24

Ohio

$3,000

11.00

25

South Dakota

$127

10.90

26

Maryland

$1,400

10.70

27

Oklahoma

$500

9.40

28

Nebraska

$314

9.20

29

Kentucky

$780

9.10

30

Missouri

$704

9.10

31

Kansas

$492

8.80

32

New Mexico

$450

8.30

33

Hawaii

$410

8.20

34

Utah

$390

8.20

35

Georgia

$1,300

7.90

36

Delaware

$208

6.30

37

Michigan

$1,300

5.90

38

Massachusetts

$1,800

5.70

39

District of Columbia

$322

5.20

40

Idaho

$92

3.90

41

Iowa

$186

3.50

42

Indiana

$270

2.00

43

New Hampshire

not reported

NA

NA

Tennessee

not reported

NA

NA

Alaska

0

0

NA

Arkansas

0

0

NA

Montana

0

0

NA

North Dakota

0

0

NA

West Virginia

0

0

NA

Wyoming

0

0

NA

States Total

$111.9 billion

17.60

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Note: In case of ties, the "win" went to the state with the higher deficit in raw dollars, except for the six states with no deficits — these were ranked in alphabetical order. All figures represent estimates and are subject to change. NA means not applicable.

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